A young woman becomes a werewolf and finds she strongly identifies with her wolf side. Eventually, she must choose between the human world and the wild.

Shopping trip!

Feel free to leave constructive criticism, ideas or other comments! I welcome and appreciate any feedback given!
----

Chapter 53

PDF Available and Recommended
Maybe she’s just pretending to believe me? For the thousandth time, Sophia checked the tab containing Friendbook despite knowing she had no notifications. Like the people in the chat?
Seeing Candice was still offline, she went back to trying to distract herself looking at the art hosting site she had originally found the Disarray link on. She had noticed channels devoted to art on the werewolf server, but she had shied away at the sight of the “NSFW” tags. Now, images of transformed, transforming or anthro - but fully clothed - people graced her screen.
Not quite like my experience, she admired a particularly well-done hand-drawn piece of a man becoming a werewolf. They got the ruined clothing part right.
Despite the cold, she had shrugged off her robe and draped it over the back of her chair. Seeing pictures of people in the process of losing their clothing reminded her too much of her own newfound issues with the sensation of clothing. She was just able to tolerate keeping her shirt and underwear on.
The people in that chat were certainly right about how much better having fur is, she expanded a picture of a wolf with shredded clothing surrounding it. How could Candice ever understand that? Or what I feel for Shadow?
Sophia jumped at the sound of her door creaking open. Panicked, she accidentally closed her browser instead of minimizing it.
“Hey Sophia? You in here?” Her dad asked after a couple of seconds through the partially open door, the scent of metal and lubricant infiltrating her space.
What the hell??? Panic turned to anger and she reflexively tried to growl. This is my territory!
“Dad!” Sophia finally exclaimed in exasperation. “What happened to knocking?”
“I was just checkin’ on you,” her dad said unapologetically. “I see you’re feeling better.”
“Yes, I’m feeling better,” Sophia snapped, belatedly pulling her robe over her lap as she remembered she only had underwear on.
“Alright, geez, I thought you might be sleeping and didn’t want to wake you,” her father responded defensively but didn’t shut the door. “Since you’re doin’ better, I’m going to go join the guys at the bar.”
He finally pulled the door closed again.
Why didn’t you just call me and ask? But she already knew the answer. He wanted to make sure I was still here. He’s asserting his dominance.
Still stewing, she pulled her browser and the art site back up. She tried looking at a few pictures but her interest was gone. With an annoyed sigh, she closed the tab and left the browser open. Grabbing her phone, she got up from her chair and crawled onto her bed.
It’s after six, she fidgeted with her phone. Candice should be messaging me soon.
Grabbing her blanket, she wrapped her free arm and legs around it and waited.
Why do I want something to chew on so badly? As the minutes ticked by, her grip on her blanket grew to match the growing tightness in her chest. Maybe if I just chew on my blanket for a few seconds, it’ll go away.
By ten after six, the top of her blanket was quite wet with saliva and had several perforations.
It’s 6:20, maybe her dad was late? I hope she got back to school okay. She pulled back on her quilt with her teeth, tearing part of it. This feels really good.
By 6:30, she had shredded a large section of her quilt.
I knew I shouldn’t have told her! She was just pretending to believe me and now she probably thinks I’m completely crazy and wants nothing to do with me! Now she’ll tell everyone how nuts the wolf-girl is! That I ate raw meat and kept licking her on the face!
Her phone chimed, shaking her out of her neuroticism. Relief flooded through her when she saw the message was from Candice but as soon as she read it, her heart sank.

Hey Soph, family is going to dinner and cant talk tonight. Sorry!

Disappointed, Sophia started to type out an acknowledgment when an idea struck her.

2 bad. :( Meet at bruins tmrw? Need shoes.

She didn’t have to wait long for a reply:

Oooh! Sounds amazeballs! Time?

Crap, I’m scheduled to work tomorrow, Sophia bit her bottom lip. I can’t even get through a day of school, how am I going to manage work? She stared at Candice’s message. Maybe I should quit? Maybe Candice will have some ideas?
Her fingers worked her keypad:

How bout 12? Work at 2.

Candice’s reply came quickly.

Sounds great! Gtg!

Sophia dropped her phone onto her bed with a sigh and released her death grip on her quilt.
I shouldn’t have doubted Candice, she brushed her cheek where something fibrous had touched it, causing her skin to itch.
It took her a moment to realize the irritant was white, polyester stuffing from her blanket. Leaning back, she was perturbed to see that the floral quilt now had a large hole torn in it. Something tickled her mouth and she reached her hand up to pull out several fibers.
I really need to pick up some chew toys, her face warmed as she hastily pushed the displaced stuffing back in. And learn to sew.
* * *
“Hey Dad, do you have a moment?” Sophia called from the living room threshold and then waited for him to mute the TV. “I need to run by Bruin’s before work today. Would that be okay?”
“Whatcha need there?” he asked curiously, setting down his beer can.
“Some new shoes,” Sophia told him truthfully. “My old pair has been getting a bit worn out and has some holes in them. I could use some other clothes too.”
Maybe something more werewolf-proof. Say, do they make steel-toed tennis shoes?
“Alright, sure,” her dad nodded. “Just there and then to work though.”
Hah, he didn’t say I couldn’t meet a friend at Bruin’s.
Sophia gave an appreciative smile, “Thanks, Dad!”
Her Dad looked back at the TV and Sophia was about to walk away when his head snapped back up and he asked, “Say, you know what happened to the two-pound package of bacon? Was hoping to make some this morning and couldn’t find it.”
Ah, he did notice that.
Sophia gave an embarrassed shrug, “Oh, uh, yeah, I hadn’t eaten all day yesterday and it tasted really good. I ended up eating all of it. Sorry, I’ll get another package at the store.”
“I’m not sure whether to be upset or impressed,“ her dad commented, running his hand through his hair. “I noticed you ate most of the leftover pork from New Year's too. Glad you liked it but I was hoping it would last all week.”
“Sorry,” Sophia apologized again. “I’ve just been craving meat of late. Maybe it’s the cold.”
“I thought boys were the ones who were supposed to eat you out of house and home,” her dad laughed. “Don’t need you getting fat now.”
“I need to get going,” Sophia said, avoiding his eyes.
“Sure, have a good day sweetheart,” he said, still laughing as he unmuted the TV.
Alright, now to meet Candice!
Putting her dad out of her mind, the muscles in her lower back twitched as she excitedly headed to her room to get her snowsuit on.

One silver lining to the cold is there are a lot fewer strange-wol… dogs and people around, Sophia pulled her scarf over her face as she entered downtown Woodbury. Not that I can smell anything through this scarf.
A few other people were braving the cold, darting between stores or parked vehicles. However, downtown was noticeably quiet for it being around noon on a Saturday. Only the town’s small pizzeria looked close to its normal capacity as Sophia hurried past it. Even the thrift store Sophia usually did her clothes shopping at was unusually quiet for a Saturday.
Hopefully, there won’t be many people in the store today, she futilely strained to detect anything through the scarf. Stupid scarf, I just smell wool and my own breath.
Not long ago, she had found the mix of wood, brick and stone facades that dominated the downtown area to be charming. Now, the artificial surfaces made her feel claustrophobic and trapped. Wolfgirl - subdued over the last couple of days - seemed to prowl the recesses of her mind now, urging Sophia to turn around and head for somewhere less… human.
I need to get used to this, Sophia forced back the troublesome urges as she crossed the last street before her destination. It’s what I need to do to keep Candice.
Scanning for Candice, she passed under the familiar bear stenciled on the store’s window. She went to open one of the brown wooden doors but dodged to the side as two heavily bundled customers carrying bags rushed out. Neither paid any attention to her as they headed for a nearby car on the street. Taking a breath, she pulled the door open and headed inside the warm interior.
I’ve been here a thousand times; there’s nothing to worry about, she tried to soothe Wolfgirl.
Out of the cold at last, Sophia pulled down the scarf covering her face. Immediately, a cacophony of smells overwhelmed her. Leather, wood, fabrics - she could discern more than a dozen distinct smells in the store’s dry air and knew there were many more to discover. Curiosity clashed with her instinctive wariness over being in a closed and unnatural environment. That the store smelled so… human didn’t help either.
Focus Sophia, I’m meeting Candice. She tried to find any scents she associated with her friend but couldn’t. Use your eyes like a normal person!
Across from the entrance were the store’s two cash registers. The lone cashier, a middle-aged woman, was busy sorting a pile of clothes. To Sophia’s left, a bearded young man looked through a display of ski apparel. Towards the rear of the store, an elderly woman was trying on a pair of tan leather gloves with a puffy, white fringe around the wrists. Towering over Sophia to her right, stood the store’s famous life-like brown bear.
Huh, I guess it’s not real bear fur after all, Sophia couldn’t help leaning towards the bear and sniffing it. I don’t recognize the material, but it’s not from an animal.
“Can I help you?” Asked an uncertain feminine voice.
Sophia jerked her head away from the bear, a couple of strands of fur brushing her nose. Looking up, she saw the cashier had stopped sorting clothes and was staring at her with an odd expression on her face.
“No, uh, sorry,” Sophia mumbled and stepped away from the bear. “Just waiting for someone.”
Great, just great, thanks Wolfgirl. Can’t even go five seconds without you drawing attention to me.
“Hey, Soph!” Candice’s bright voice came from behind her as the store’s door opened.
Relieved, Sophia turned to see her friend standing at the entrance of the store, holding the door. The other girl’s smile noticeably slipped when their eyes met but she didn’t pull away. Sophia’s own smile flagged briefly at the heavy scent of eyeliner and lip gloss coming from her friend.
Not quite like everything used to be.
“You made it!” Sophia greeted her, grinning while making room for Candice to come into the store. “We must have just missed each other on the street.”
“It’s. So. Cold. Out. There!” Candice exclaimed through chattering teeth, her cheeks flushed. “Even with warmer clothes than I had yesterday, I thought I was going to freeze walking here!”
“Glad you didn’t!” Sophia replied, taking off her own hat and gloves. “Ready for some shoe shopping?”
“Shoe shopping time!” Candice cheered in a sing-song voice and laughed. “I was checking out some cute shoes online this morning. I can’t wait to see how they look in person!”
Sophia glanced over at the cashier to see if she was still watching, but the woman had gone back to sorting clothes. Phew, thanks for the rescue, Candice!
“You’ll have to show me some good ones!” Sophia responded as they started towards the footwear displays on the other side of the store.
“I definitely will!” Candice agreed as they threaded their way through the tight aisles. “Sorry, we didn’t get a chance to talk yesterday. You know how my dad is when he’s set on family time.”
It’s kind of like dense underbrush in here, Sophia’s eyes darted about as they walked and she carefully noted the various scents they passed. Ick, that smelled gross.
“Don’t worry about it,” Sophia assured her as they passed the dark, wooden stairs that marked the center of the store. “How was dinner last night?”
“Great,” Candice replied, sounding oddly detached now. “Dad took us out for burgers and then we went home and played games. Honestly, it was pretty boring.” Her voice trailed off.
“It’s been too long since we’ve shopped together!” Sophia commented after the silence grew uncomfortable.
“It has!” Candice agreed, her voice taking on a tone of forced excitement. “I was here a couple of times over break. I’ll have to show you the blouse I found!”
Looks like we’ll be the only ones on this side of the store. It took her a moment to realize Candice had been talking.
“That would be awesome!” Sophia answered quickly.
New clothing smells so strong, and I can already smell the shoe leather. At least that still smells good.
“Are you… feeling alright?” Candice asked suddenly, her eyes studying Sophia.
“Yes… Why?” Sophia asked in puzzlement, missing a step.
Candice brushed her hair out of her face before responding quietly, “You just seem really on edge. Like, you’ve always had a nervous vibe, but you seem really wired today.”
I have a nervous vibe..?
“I do?” Sophia asked.
“I mean, like, it’s like you’re watching everywhere at once and you just seem super tense,” Candice explained quickly. “Which is perfectly okay!” She frantically added, raising her hands. “I’m just really worried about you.”
“Nothing’s wrong that I know of,” Sophia assured her.
I’ll have to be more aware of what I’m doing.
“Alright,” Candy relented. “Just thought I’d check.” She sighed and then changed the subject. “I thought you were grounded?”
“I told my dad I needed shoes,” Sophia told her and then grinned. “I didn’t mention I was meeting anyone here.”
“Ahh, gotcha,” Candice grinned devilishly. “I was never here!”
“Nope!” Sophia confirmed conspiratorially. “Just me.”
They reached the first row of shoes and headed to the women’s and girls’ section.
Cool, I think I might be able to tell the different types of leather apart, resisting her desire to get in close and explore was painful.
“What size are you?” Candice asked.
Those would feel good to chew on… Sophia’s gums almost ached as she looked at the display shoes.
“Sophia..?” Candice prompted.
“Hmm?” Sophia asked, looking at her.
“What size are you?” Candice repeated, laughing.
“Oh, uh, size seven and a half,” Sophia told her and blushed. “Sorry.”
“Anything in particular you’re looking for? Color? Brand?”
“Not really,” Sophia replied as she read the numbers on the boxes. “I need them for gym.”
“Full moon resistant?” Candice deadpanned.
Sophia shifted uncomfortably and took a look around before answering in mock seriousness, “Do they have that?”
Candice laughed, but looked away from Sophia and stiffly grabbed a box. She flipped off the lid and pulled out a white tennis shoe with light pink stripes.
“These would look nice,” Candice said admiringly, pulling out a shoe.
Sophia bent to take a closer look, but the intense smell of the other girl’s makeup drove her back. Why does makeup have to smell so awful?
“I’ll try them on!” Sophia exclaimed, trying not to betray her disgust.
Candice handed the box to her, the strong smell of new leather and rubber intensifying. She tried to focus on what they looked like, but it just wasn’t that interesting compared to her other senses.
Maybe just a quick sniff? Sophia picked up a shoe with her hand and tried to discreetly inhale through her nose.
To her surprise, there were a few different materials she could smell. There was leather of course - and rubber - but she could also detect the scent of some fabrics and adhesives.
“What are you doing?” Candice asked in consternation.
Sophia froze, her nose millimeters away from the shoe’s sole, Oops, got carried away.
Lowering the shoe, she giggled nervously and stammered, “It looks really nice. I’ll try it on.”
Oh no, oh no, there’s no way she’ll want to hang out with me now.
Candice sighed and crossed her arms, “Sophia, it’s okay.”
Sophia stopped mid-stride towards a chair, “What’s okay?”
“You’re acting like a wolf,” Candice said matter-of-factly.
“Oh,” Sophia blurted out, feeling weak-kneed.
Candice looked at the floor and then back at Sophia, “I’ll be honest, I was up all night thinking about yesterday. I had no idea what to make of what you said. It just seemed too wild to believe.”
She didn’t believe me… Sophia wanted to cry.
“But I couldn’t stop thinking about how different you were acting,” Candice continued thoughtfully. “The way you move and look… You’re not the Sophia I remembered.”
“Oh,” Sophia squeaked, her heart thudding.
And we can’t be friends anymore… Sophia’s stomach dropped.
“But what bothered me most of all, was that you’re more… more you than you’ve ever been.” She laughed nervously, “I know that sounds weird. It’s just… I’ve known you most of my life and it’s like this the first time you’ve really seemed like yourself.”
Sophia stared at Candice, What?
“And I’ll admit that kind of scares me,” Candice confessed. “You’re my friend, my best friend and I don’t know what to think. You’ve changed and yet you haven’t.”
“I could try not to,” Sophia offered desperately.
Candice sighed, “Sophia, I’ll admit it weirds me out a little… This werewolf thing. But I had never seen you happier, more you, than you were yesterday.” She gestured towards Sophia. “Whatever you are now, it’s like you’re what you’re meant to be.”
She means it… A tear trickled down Sophia’s cheek.
“Even if I keep changing?” Sophia asked softly.
Candice grimaced, “I hope that doesn’t happen, but I’m here for you.”
Sophia wiped her eyes and smiled, “Thank you.”
“So yeah, you don’t need to worry around me,” Candice told her. “If you need to smell everything, if that’s what you need to do, just do it.”
“You mean that?” Sophia asked, touched.
“I do,” Candice confirmed, a tear trickling down her cheek as she smiled.
----
Chapter 1 << Chapter 52 < > Chapter 54

Chapters are released early on The Lunar Foundry on SubscribeStar for subscribers! You can also find me on Discord!

Thumbnail art by   AtomX